This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Manufacturers are increasingly producing vehicles having higher levels of driving automation. Features such as adaptive cruise control and lateral positioning have become popular and are precursors to greater adoption of fully autonomous-driving-capable vehicles.
While availability of autonomous-driving-capable vehicles is on the rise, users' familiarity and comfort with autonomous-driving functions will not necessarily keep pace. User comfort with the automation is an important aspect in overall technology adoption and user experience.
Also, with highly automated vehicles expected to be commonplace in the near future, a market for fully-autonomous taxi services and shared vehicles is developing.
Uneasiness with automated-driving functionality, and possibly also with the shared-vehicle experience, can lead to reduced use of the autonomous driving capabilities, such as by the user not engaging, or disengaging, autonomous-driving operation, or not commencing or continuing in a shared-vehicle ride. In some cases, the user continues to use the autonomous functions, whether in a shared vehicle, but with a relatively low level of satisfaction.
An uncomfortable user may also be less likely to order or use a fully-autonomous vehicle experience in the first place, or to learn about and use more-advanced autonomous-driving capabilities, whether in a shared ride.
Levels of adoption can also affect marketing and sales of autonomous-driving-capable vehicles. As users' trust in autonomous-driving systems and shared-automated vehicles increases, the users are more likely to purchase an autonomous-driving-capable vehicle, schedule an automated taxi, share an automated vehicle, model doing the same for others, or expressly recommend that others do the same.